April 20 (Bloomberg) -- A case of Cros Parantoux 1989
Vosne-Romanee Burgundy from Henri Jayer sold for 35,250 pounds
($53,880) at Sotheby’s in London this week, while a nine-bottle
lot from vintages back to 1988 took top price of 39,950 pounds.

A six-bottle lot of Cros Parantoux 1999 Jayer also sold for
21,150 pounds as the Burgundian vintner accounted for four of
the top five lots in the April 17 sale, according to Sotheby’s.

The London-based Liv-ex Fine Wine 50 Index has rallied 10
percent since November, when it fell to its lowest level since
March 2010. A 0.3 percent gain in March, following a 2.9 percent
increase in February, was its fourth straight advance.

“Bordeaux and Burgundy achieved high prices, as one would
expect, but there was also fierce competition for wines from
Spain, Italy, Australia and other regions,” Stephen Mould, head
of Sotheby’s European wine department, said in an e-mailed note.

Jayer died in 2006 and has become one of Burgundy’s most
sought-after wine-makers. At a Hart Davis Hart Wine Co. auction
in Chicago in February, a case of Jayer’s 1990 Cros Parantoux
sold for $113,525.

A six-magnum lot of Chateau Petrus 1990 fetched 30,550
pounds and a 12-bottle case of Chateau Lafite-Rothschild 1982
went for 21,150 pounds, according to Sotheby’s.

Following is a table of major wine auctions held so far
this year, with the total sold. Links are to auction websites or
results statements.